Unit B2-3

1. Unit B2-3 Floriculture Horticulture CD

2. Problem Area 2 Floral Design

3. Lesson 3 Understanding the Principles of Floral Design

4. Interest Approach Take a look at the design to the right. Why does this arrangement look so good? Would you do anything to improve it? Now look at these two designs. What’s wrong with them? How could you make them better? Courtesy of Delmar Publishing

5. Student Objectives • 1. Define floral design • 2. List the principles of floral design • 3. Explain the concept of proportion • 4. Explain how the concept of balance is applied to floral design • 5. Describe how rhythm is applied in floral work • 6. Explain how the principles of dominance and focal point are used in floral design

6. Asymmetrical balance Balance Centering Contrast Counterbalancing Dominance Floral design Focal point Free, variable rhythm Physical balance Principles of design Proportion Radiation Regular, repeated rhythm Repetition Rhythm Symmetrical balance Transition Variation Variety Visual balance Visual weight Vocabulary

7. What Is Floral Design? • Floral design is the art of organizing the design elements inherent in plant materials and accessories according to the principles of design art • It is commonly called floral arranging • People who arrange flowers are called floral designers • These people have spent many hours mastering the art and design principles

8. What Are the Principles of Design and How Are They Used? • Principles of design are the rules and guidelines used by floral designers to create floral arrangements • There are four major design principles : proportion, balance, rhythm and dominance • Radiation, repetition, transition, variation, contrast and focal point are minor principles

9. Major Design Principles

10. Minor Design Principles

11. How Is Proportion Achieved in Floral Design? • The design must be in proportion to where it is going to be displayed • It must be suitable for and in harmony with its location • For example, a small bud vase of flowers would be inappropriate on a church altar • Also, a huge basket of flowers would not be in proportion on a small coffee table

12. The height of an arrangement should be 1 1/2 to 2 times the height or width of the container • The height may be increased depending on room dimensions and material types

13. Containers are a primary factor in determining height • Consider: • Physical dimensions • Color • Material & texture • Shape A darker vase can visually hold a larger arrangement than a glass vase. Courtesy of Interstate Publishing

14. Flowers and foliage of equal or nearly equal size will help in achieving proper proportion • For example, orchids should not be mixed with baby’s breath Courtesy of Interstate Publishing

15. What Is Balance and How Is It Achieved? • There are two types of balance: • Physical = actual stability of the arrangement • The arrangement can stand freely and won’t fall over • Visual = refers to the perception of the arrangement being balanced; Should be evident from top to bottom, side to side and front to back • Designs not balanced will look out of sorts like a crooked painting on a wall

16. There are two types of visual balance • Symmetrical balance - having equal numbers of plant materials on both sides of a central axis • Round, fan, triangle and the inverted T are examples of symmetrical design forms • Asymmetrical balance - having unequal placement of plant materials and weight of materials on each side of the central axis • Hogarth curve, crescent, diagonal and right triangles are example of asymmetrical design forms

17. Balance can be achieved through the following methods: • 1. Visual weight - a flower’s perceived lightness or heaviness based on its color, shape and pattern • Varying visual weight helps achieve the compensation or counterbalancing in asymmetrical designs • Lighter colors should be used towards the top and sides; Darker ones towards the bottom and center

18. 2. Designers use three main techniques to help achieve balance: • A) visual weight= a flower’s perceived lightness or heaviness based on its shape, color and pattern • Varying visual weight helps achieve the counterbalancing in asymmetrical arrangements • Light colors towards top and sides; Darker towards bottom and center • B) centering= the technique of placing dominant plant material along a design’s central vertical axis

19. C) counterbalancing= means balancing plant materials on one side of a design with visually equal materials on the opposite side • It is essential in asymmetrical work • Can be used to avoid strict mirror imaging in symmetrical work

20. How Is Rhythm Created in a Floral Design? • Creating a pathway for the eye to follow is the purpose of rhythm • An arrangement with good rhythm will cause the viewer to look at the entire piece • Two types: • A) regular, repeated rhythm – present when materials are repeated at regular intervals from top to bottom in the arrangement

21. B) free, variable rhythm- is an unstructured style with subtle flowing movements created with unstructured materials • There are five ways to achieve both free and regular rhythm

22. Ways of Creating Rhythm

23. What Is Dominance and How Is Focal Point Used to Create It? • The use of dominance suggests to the viewer what is important in a design • Interest and attention are captured when one feature dominates and others are secondary • Can be achieved by: • 1) using dominant plant material • 2) using an emphasized design element • 3) using a distinct style of design

24. 4) using a theme • 5) using a focal point • Focal point is the center of interest • Not all arrangements have a focal point • For example, round arrangements • There are several ways to create a focal point

25. Use of large flowers there Ex. Football mum Use of special form flowers Ex. Orchid Employing dark shades Vary concentration of plant material Use of framing methods Ex. Curved lines as in crescent shape Use of strong color contrasts Radiation of plant material to a particular area Use of accessories Ways of Creating a Focal Point

26. Summary • What is floral design? • Name the four major design principles. • What is focal point? • Explain the proportional rule of “1 ½ to 2 times.” • Where should heavy colors go? Light colors? • How is physical balance different from visual balance? • What is the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical balance?

27. Summary Continued • Describe how radiation can create rhythm. • What is usually repeated in a design to create rhythm? • What is dominance? And how can it be achieved? • Name two ways of creating a focal point.